Taxidermy question

If I was to get ahold of a huge channel cat this season, and wanted some antler sheds mounted to it, is that possible and how much would I be looking to spend?

Give John a call at Natures Image.

Link to John’s post<<<

He’s done some wild things.

When you get this done, please post a photo of it here…

That is a pretty sweet mount idea…. LMAO…

Can you put moose or elk antlers instead of just deer??

That is the FIRST, although ridiculous, reason I’ve ever heard for catching a catfish…..

Pete

Toms Taxidermy in Clarks Grove does amazing work and he has a awsome show room of mounts you can check out his # is 507 256 4134 i HIGHLY Recomend him!

Yes it can be done. You have to find a taxidermist willing to do something like that. do expect to pay more as there will be some custom work to get them mounted properly

Get a replica. It will look as good as the day you got it 20 years from now. The fish mounts I have are all dried out and cracked. Plus, if you only catch a 30’lber you cna have them make you a 60, along with the fish still living to fight another day.

Agreed – replica….

As far as I’m concerned, its a piece of art… You can get it to match the catch exactly, or just have one made for the wall, but not necessarily based on the specs from a previous catch.

The best part is ability to release a true trophy fish. The second best part is the replica will easily outlast a skin mount. I have a steelhead replica mount that is just awesome. Definately the way to go, even though it might cost a few extra bucks up front.

Here’s a replica that John did. Maybe you’ve seen it at Everts?

Here’s another link to a few pictures of Johns work in his sponsor post. Pretty snazzy stuff.

Hopefully we’ll be seeing some river walleye replicas soon!

Please Welcome Natures Image<<<

I get the whole replica thing, but IMO its a fake. I could just have that done right now. I should also clarify that the waters I fish are difficult to get a channel bigger than 13 pounds or so, so its not gonna be a truo trophy type fish…

I hear what your saying on the fake piece, but depending on how accurate you are on your measurements and the photos you take, they can be darn near exact…to the forked whisker.

I asked John how long a skin mount will last and his response surprised me. “They should last your life time as long as they aren’t in a lot of cigarette smoke, or an area with airborn grease.”

When I asked him what he recommends he said, it’s a personal decision and not his.

I’m good with that.

Cant help you on where to take the fish. I didnt have this one mounted being it was too small.But this is what a small male carp looks like

Fortunately the rack I found was a 1.5 yr old, so the fish doesnt have to be a monster.

Vikefan,
I’m trying to figure out if your being serious or not. You really want to mount deer horns on a catfish similar to the carp picture in this thread? Why would you want to spend several hundred dollars to do something like that? And then to balk at the replica suggestion because its “fake”. I don’t get it…

Yes, Im serious. Ive always wanted to do it, but never found a small enough rack to make it work.

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If I was to get ahold of a huge channel cat this season, and wanted some antler sheds mounted to it, is that possible and how much would I be looking to spend?

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Just out of curiosity you’re no SMOKING anything are you????

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Vikefan,

I’m trying to figure out if your being serious or not. You really want to mount deer horns on a catfish similar to the carp picture in this thread? Why would you want to spend several hundred dollars to do something like that? And then to balk at the replica suggestion because its “fake”. I don’t get it…

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x2??

Its gonna be fake either way you shake it. Might as well save a fish and your time. You could have a taxidermist start working on a replica right now and have it back much sooner vs having to catch/kill a fish and then mount it.

As far as replica’s vs skin mounts… I understand that moderm replicas haven’t been around as long as skin mounts, so we have few side by side 30 year old comparisons… But just about all the 20-30 y.o. skin mounts I have seen definately show signs of skin degredation and aging.

I’m not a taxidermist, so maybe these were poorly done mounts to begin with… And I suppose most of the “well-worn” mounts people see are in bar settings, so the smoke comment makes good sense… But my personal preference – definately go to the replica. If I had the cash, I’d probably fill up my house with dozens of different types of fish, most of them not based on true measurements or even species that I had even ever caught.. I guess I look at mounts (skin or replica) as true art, not just a trophy to look at and pat myself on the back just for catching a fish…

Good luck with whatever you decide, though.